Why Companies warn about Phenylalanine in Soda and its Impact on People with Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Have you ever noticed the mention of Phenylalanine on the cans of soda you drink? It's something that catches the attention of many people, and you might be curious about why it's written on the cans.
Let's delve into the world of Phenylalanine. It's an essential amino acid, a fundamental building block for our bodies. Our body can't produce it on its own, so we need to obtain it from external sources such as meat, fish, poultry, cheese, sesame seeds, lentils, and peanuts. Phenylalanine plays a crucial role in the body's functioning, serving as a precursor for adrenaline and dopamine. This means that if you do not have these food items and ingest phenylalanine, then you would be deficient in the amino acid.
If you're like me and don't consume these specific foods (although I actually do), you can still find Phenylalanine in artificial sweeteners like Aspartame. These sweeteners are commonly used in low-sugar, low-calorie, and carbohydrate-restricted products such as Zero Coke, Diet Coke, and sugar-free chewing gum.
You might wonder why companies feel the need to mention Phenylalanine on their labels, as if they could be sued for not including it. Well, the reason is that certain individuals, although relatively few in number, can't digest Phenylalanine and convert it into a beneficial amino acid in their bodies. These individuals suffer from a condition called phenylketonuria (PKU), and it's crucial for them to be aware of what they consume
People who suffer from this condition do not produce Phenylalanine hydroxylase which converts phenylalanine to tyrosine which would then be used by the body. So we know that if phenylalanine hydroxylase is abscent, then phenylalanine would continue to build up in the body and as we know that too much of everything is very bad. Too much oxygen is bad, too much water is harmful, and so does it go with too much phenylalanine. It can be toxic in the body.
Without this enzyme, Phenylalanine continues to accumulate in the body, which can have toxic effects. Excessive levels of Phenylalanine can lead to seizures, intellectual disability, ataxia, and tremors. Individuals with PKU need to consume low-Phenylalanine foods to manage their condition. This includes reducing their intake of foods like meat, eggs, fish, cheese, peas, corn, potatoes, beans, and beverages like Diet and Zero Coke that are low in sugar. It's undoubtedly a challenge, but to compensate for the nutrients they miss out on, they can take supplements and specialized formulas
In recent times, there have ground-breaking research on plants that will help people with phenylketonuria (PKU), and that is Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL). It is found in plant for breaking down Phenylalanine into compounds that could be removed from them. So researchers worked and modified PAL to be used by people who suffered from phenylketonuria (PKU), helping them to breakdown Phenylalanine in the body to harmless products that can be removed from the body, and since 2018, PAL has been available for use via injection for people suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU).
While further research is ongoing to aid those with phenylketonuria (PKU), the PAL injection allows them to enjoy regular foods like everyone else. So, if you're planning to have your next diet soda or Zero Coke, make sure to check the label for the mention of Phenylalanine if you haven't noticed it before.
Read More
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4036500/
https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2164-13-S3-S1
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Phenylalanine
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-653/phenylalanine
I have never taken time to read through the bottle of zero coke, and I take it at least once a week. We have to take note of so many things that we consume and it starts with checking labels. Thanks for sharing.
You should check them out so you understand why it looks like they are passing a warning rather than informing people of the presence of phenylalanine
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